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Benji377
Benji377

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8 Hidden Linux CLI Gems

#linux #bash #cli #productivity

We all know ls, grep, and top. But digging through a typical Linux installation often reveals powerful utilities that sit unused simply because nobody told us they were there.

Here is a short list of the most useful command-line tools that might already be on your system, plus a few modern "superpowers" you should definitely add.

💎 The Hidden Gems

1. aria2 - The Ultra-Fast Downloader

Most people use wget or curl, but aria2 is a lightweight multiprotocol & multi-source download utility. It can split files into pieces and download them in parallel from multiple sources (HTTP, FTP, BitTorrent) simultaneously, maximizing your bandwidth.

Usage: 

# Download a file using 4 parallel connections
aria2c -x4 http://example.com/large-iso-file.iso
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2. btop - The TUI System Monitor

If you are still using top or even htop, you are missing out. btop provides a beautiful, mouse-clickable, gaming-style interface for monitoring CPU, memory, network, and processes. It features graphs, themes, and full process management.

Usage: 

btop
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3. duf - Disk Usage/Free (Better df)

A modern alternative to the old df command. It displays your disk usage in a colorful, easy-to-read table with bar graphs, grouping devices automatically so you don't have to decipher /dev/sda1 vs tmpfs.

Usage: 

duf
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4. tldr - Manual Pages for Humans

Standard man pages are comprehensive but often overwhelming. tldr is a community-driven collection of simplified man pages that gives you just the most common practical examples.

Usage: 

# Forget how to use tar?
tldr tar
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5. yt-dlp - The Ultimate Video Downloader

A fork of the famous youtube-dl. It is actively maintained, faster, and works on thousands of video sites (YouTube, Twitch, Vimeo, etc.). It is a powerhouse for archiving content or grabbing audio.

Usage: 

# Download a video in the best available quality
yt-dlp "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=..."

# Extract audio only as MP3
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=..."
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6. pv - Pipe Viewer

pv is a terminal-based tool for monitoring the progress of data through a pipeline. It allows you to see a progress bar, ETA, and speed for operations that normally show nothing (like cp, dd, or piping streams).

Usage: 

# Create a progress bar for a file copy
pv largefile.iso > /backup/largefile.iso
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7. plocate - Instant File Search

plocate is a much faster alternative to mlocate. It creates an index of your filesystem, allowing you to find any file on your drive instantly—far faster than using find.

Usage: 

# Update the database (usually runs automatically)
sudo updatedb

# Find any file containing "config" in the name
locate config
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👾 The "Weird" Bonus

8. aplay (ALSA Utils) - Listen to your Data

aplay is standard on almost every Linux system (it's part of alsa-utils). While intended for audio files, it has a famous trick: it can play any file as raw PCM audio. This allows you to "hear" the structure of compiled code, images, or even your kernel.

Usage:

⚠️ Warning: Lower your volume first! This produces loud static.

# Play a random ISO or binary file as CD-quality audio
aplay -f cd /path/to/any/file.iso

# Or listen to your mouse movements (if you have access)
sudo cat /dev/input/mice | aplay
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🚀 Additional tools

These might not be installed by default, but they are the first things many power users install on a new machine.

fzf (Fuzzy Finder)

A general-purpose command-line fuzzy finder. It lets you search your command history, files, or processes by typing partial, fuzzy queries.

  • Install: sudo apt install fzf (Debian/Ubuntu)
  • Repo: junegunn/fzf

ripgrep (rg)

A line-oriented search tool that recursively searches the current directory for a regex pattern. It is faster than grep and automatically ignores files in .gitignore.

bat

A cat clone with syntax highlighting and Git integration. It makes reading code in the terminal a pleasant experience.

  • Install: sudo apt install bat (Debian/Ubuntu)
  • Repo: sharkdp/bat

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